Dental

With recent advancements in additive manufacturing machines, 3D-printable resins, and 3D printing dental software, practices and labs can use 3D printers to produce dental study models faster than the traditional casting process. 3D printing replaces the many steps in traditional model manufacturing with a fast and easy printing process that yields a more accurate product.

With a long fabrication process, it’s desirable to cut down production time and eliminate some steps without sacrificing accuracy. 3D printing is an alternative to the traditional process used to fabricate study models. It offers numerous advantages, reducing cost and discomfort for patients, and contributing to more desirable treatment outcomes.

Today, lab/practice partnerships are more beneficial with the accessibility of 3D printers. Advanced 3D printing solutions produce devices with a faster turnaround time than traditional and even legacy 3D printing methods. The innovative resins and resin-printing techniques used by modern 3D printers offer industry-leading strength, accuracy, and transparency leading to better end products.

Choosing a digital denture solution can reduce turnaround time and material costs. To determine which solution is best aligned to your practice, follow this guide on choosing the best 3D printer for dentures.

In the past, digital workflows used a combination of CAD/CAM software and CNC milling to make crowns. 3D printers could not make permanent crowns because the materials did not have the appropriate mechanical properties, and there was poor accuracy or fit. With recent advancements in 3D-printable resins, 3D printers can produce permanent crowns that meet mechanical property requirements and make them faster and more cost-effectively than CNC milling. 3D printing is streamlining the dental crown manufacturing process and can benefit labs and dental practices.

Advancements in 3D printing technology are improving the production of clear aligners. Today’s 3D printing solutions are widely available to both dental labs and private practices. Orthodontists can now choose between outsourcing aligner production to a lab or
in-house production.